Executive Order on Strengthening Access to Affordable, High-Quality Contraception and Family Planning Services | The White House

Improving Access to Contraception and Family Planning Services

Introduction

This report highlights the importance of ensuring access to contraception and family planning services, particularly in light of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Access to high-quality contraception is crucial for individuals to have control over their own health, lives, and families. It has been proven to improve health outcomes, promote economic stability, and enhance women’s overall well-being. However, despite progress made through the Affordable Care Act, barriers to accessing contraception still exist based on income, location, health insurance coverage, and availability of healthcare providers.

Background

The Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade, has further highlighted the need to protect and expand access to family planning services. This decision has had devastating implications for women’s health, with the closure of health clinics that provide contraception and other essential services in states with restrictive abortion laws. Some state officials have also implemented policies that interfere with access to emergency contraception, further jeopardizing women’s ability to make decisions about their own bodies and futures.

Government Actions

In response to these challenges, President Joseph R. Biden Jr. issued Executive Order 14076 (Protecting Access to Reproductive Healthcare Services) and Executive Order 14079 (Securing Access to Reproductive and Other Healthcare Services) to protect access to reproductive healthcare services, including contraception and abortion. These orders directed various government departments and agencies to take action to strengthen access to contraception.

1. The Secretaries of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services are considering issuing guidance to improve access to contraception under the Affordable Care Act. This includes ensuring coverage of comprehensive contraceptive care without cost sharing and streamlining the process for patients and healthcare providers to request coverage of medically necessary contraception.
2. Additional actions are being considered to promote increased access to affordable over-the-counter contraception, including emergency contraception.
3. The Secretary of Health and Human Services, through the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is considering steps to expand access to affordable family planning services and supplies across the Medicaid program. This includes identifying and disseminating best practices for providing high-quality family planning services and supplies.
4. Efforts are being made to improve coverage and payment for contraceptives for Medicare beneficiaries through Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans.
5. The Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management are considering additional actions to ensure robust coverage of contraception under federal programs, offer technical assistance to promote access to contraception, and educate program participants and beneficiaries on accessing affordable contraception.
6. The Secretary of Health and Human Services is considering actions to encourage federally funded health centers to expand the availability and quality of voluntary family planning services, support healthcare providers participating in the Title X program, provide guidance on contraception-related obligations, and support research on gaps in access to contraception.
7. The Secretary of Labor is identifying best practices for making affordable, high-quality contraception available to health plan enrollees, participants, and beneficiaries to share with employers and organizations that sponsor private health coverage.
8. The Secretary of Education is convening institutions of higher education to share best practices for making affordable, high-quality contraception available and raising awareness of options for accessing contraception.

Conclusion

This report highlights the ongoing efforts of the Biden administration to improve access to affordable, high-quality contraception and family planning services. These actions align with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and Goal 5 (Gender Equality). By ensuring access to contraception, we can contribute to improved maternal and child health, expanded educational and professional opportunities, and higher lifetime earnings. It is essential to protect and defend reproductive rights and support individuals in making decisions about their own health, lives, and families.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.7: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services, including for family planning, information, and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs.
   • Indicator: Access to contraception and family planning services.

2. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • Target 5.6: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Program of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences.
   • Indicator: Access to contraception and family planning services.

3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status.
   • Indicator: Access to contraception and family planning services for all individuals, regardless of income, location, or health insurance coverage.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

The article addresses or connects to the following SDGs:

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
2. SDG 5: Gender Equality
3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

The specific targets under these SDGs that can be identified based on the article’s content are:

1. Target 3.7: By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services, including for family planning, information, and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programs.
2. Target 5.6: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Program of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences.
3. Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status.

The indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets are:

• Access to contraception and family planning services.

The article highlights the importance of ensuring access to healthcare services, including contraception and family planning, for women. It mentions that access to contraception is essential for personal decision-making about health, lives, and families. It also states that high-quality contraception improves health outcomes, economic stability, and women’s overall well-being. The article acknowledges that access to contraception continues to vary based on income, location, health insurance coverage, and the availability of healthcare providers. It emphasizes the devastating implications of restrictions on abortion access and the need to protect and expand access to family planning services. The article also mentions various actions taken by the government to strengthen access to contraception, including issuing guidance, expanding walk-in contraceptive care services, improving coverage and payment for contraceptives under federal programs, supporting research and data analysis on access to contraception, and providing technical assistance to promote access to contraception. These actions align with the targets and indicators identified for SDGs 3, 5, and 10.

Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.

Source: whitehouse.gov

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